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Over its nearly-thirty-year history, the television series Doctor Who had many changes of cast. In addition to seven different actors in the lead role alone, the following characters played ongoing supporting roles:
Companions
with the first Doctor
- Susan Foreman (Carole Ann Ford) (Seasons 1, 2 )
- Barbara Wright (Jacqueline Hill) (Season 1-3)
- Ian Chesterton (William Russell) (Seasons 1-3)
- Vicki (Maureen O'Brien) (Seasons 2, 3)
- Steven Taylor (Peter Purves) (Seasons 2, 3)
- Katarina (Adrienne Hill) (Season 3)
- Sara Kingom (Jean Marsh). (Season 3)
- Dorothea "Dodo" Chaplet (Jackie Lane) (Season 3)
- Ben Jackson (Michael Craze) (Seasons 3, 4)
- Polly (Anneke Wills), (Seasons 3, 4)
with the second Doctor
- Ben Jackson (Season 4)
- Polly (Season 4)
- James Robert "Jamie" McCrimmon (Frazer Hines) (Seasons 5, 6)
- Victoria Waterfield (Deborah Watling) (Season 4, 5)
- Zoe Herriot (Wendy Padbury) (Season 6)
with the third Doctor
- Liz Shaw (Caroline John) (Season 7)
- Josephine "Jo" Grant (Katy Manning) (Season 8-10)
- Sarah Jane Smith (Elizabeth Sladen) (Season 11)
with the fourth Doctor
- Sarah Jane Smith (Season 12-4)
- Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter) (Season 12)
- Leela (Louise Jameson) (Seasons 14, 15)
- K-9 Mark I (voice of John Leeson) (Season 15).
- K-9 Mark II (voice of John Leeson [Seasons 16 and 18]), voice of David Brierley [Season 17].)
- Romanadvoratrelundar ("Romana") (Mary Tamm [Season 16]; Lalla Ward [Season 17])
- Adric (Matthew Waterhouse) (Seasons 18)
- Nyssa (Sarah Sutton) (Season 18)
- Tegan Jovanka (Janet Fielding) (Season 18)
with the fifth Doctor
- Adric (Season 19)
- Nyssa of Traken (Seasons 19, 20)
- Tegan Jovanka (Seasons 19-21)
- Vislor Turlough (Mark Strickson) (Seasons 20-1)
- Perpugilliam "Peri" Brown (Nicola Bryant) (Season 21)
- Kamelion (voice of Gerald Flood) (Season 20, 21)
with the sixth Doctor
- Perpugilliam "Peri" Brown (Seasons 21-23)
- Melanie "Mel" Bush (Bonnie Langford) (Season 23)
with the seventh Doctor
- Melanie "Mel" Bush (Season 24)
- "Ace" (Sophie Aldred) alias Dorothy. (Seasons 24-6).
Sara Kingdom died in the same story in which she first appears. Some fans define her as a companion and others do not.
Of the (arguable) companion characters, Katarina, Sara Kingdom, Adric and Kamelion all died on-screen.
Kamelion, an actual robot which had chronic technical problems, appeared in only one story in Season 20 and a second in Season 21 and died in the second story. Because Kamelion could change shape into anyone, a number of actors played him.
Susan, Jamie, Harry, Sarah Jane guest starred in later stories and Zoe, Liz, Adric, Tegan, Nyssa, Turlough and Kamelion appeared in cameo roles, played by the original actors rather than in stock footage or still photos. K-9 Mark III has also made a cameo.
Spin-off media have established Ace's surname as McShane. The production team had intended that if revealed in the course of a story Ace would either have the last name Gael (an allusion to the movie version of The Wizard of Oz) or whatever would suit the story. We have at least three possible explanations for how Ace's life progressed after the end of the series.
Recurring or Significant Villains
The Master appeared as a regular in Season 8 and has many guest appearances in subsequent seasons and the Television Movie. The Valeyard appeared in every episode of the Season 23, a season which contained just one, long, story.
Other Recurring or Important Characters
Lethbridge-Stewart appeared as a regular in Seasons 7 and 8 (as well as making guest appearances before and since). Benton and Yates appeared as regulars in Seasons 8, again making other appearances before and after. The Inquisitor appeared in every episode of Season 23.
